Not A Brother
by blueangelsvntn
Summary: Kayla is welcomed into the Mercer family, and treated by the Mercer boys as a little sister. But she seems to feel something different for one in particular, Jack. Set before and probably during the movie. JackOC.
1. Chapter 1

Not A Brother. Ch.1

"Morning mom!" I said as I walked into the kitchen. My mother, Evelyn, looked up from her task at hand, smiling.

"Morning baby girl!" She answered, returning to cooking breakfast. "Where are the boys?"

"Probably still sleeping." I said jumping onto the counter next to the stove.

"Of course they are. Can you go wake them up please?" Mom asked as she got out five plates. "I know they don't all have school, but I don't want them sleeping all day again."

"Sure thing ma." I said laughing. I smiled slyly, and ran up the stairs. I knew the perfect way to wake them all up, and piss them off all at the same time. After all what are sisters for?

I crept up the stairs, and down the hall to my first victim. I stopped in front of his door, and slowly opened it smiling to myself. When I knew he hadn't heard me open his door, I ran and jumped onto his bed and started jumping up and down.

"BOBBY! WAKE UP!" Then I jumped back down before he could grab my ankle. He groaned and rolled over. I laughed triumphantly.

"I'm gonna kill you next time you wake me up like that." He mumbled, rubbing his eyes.

"No you won't you love me too much." I leaned over to kiss his forehead to piss him off more. He quickly went to grab me, and I tried to dodge him. Too late, he was too fast this time.

"AAHH, BOBBY... STOP...STOP IT! PLEASE... I'M SORRY... I WON'T... DO IT AGAIN!" I gasped between laughing, as he relentlessly tickled me. He let go, and I jumped off the bed.

"Good. Promise?"

"Um, no!" Luckily this time I was too far away from him, and I quickly ran out of his room. I went to Jack's door next, but as I reached for the handle he swung it open.

"Hah, you and Bobby already woke me up." He said looking amused.

"Well your no fun," I pouted. I turned hoping Angel was still asleep, Jack followed behind me wanting to see what happens. I opened the door ready to jump on him too, but stopped just inside the door and quickly changed my mind. Instead I burst out laughing. Jack looked at me curiously. I moved away from the door and into the hallway, pointing behind me.

"OH GOD, ANGEL! BOTH OF YOU PUT SOME FUCKING CLOTHES ON AND GET YOUR ASSES DOWNSTAIRS!" He slammed the door shut as a pillow came flying at us. I turned still laughing, and headed back downstairs.

"Looks like we'll be having a guest for breakfast this morning, mom," I said. She rolled her eyes, but had a slight smile.

"Let me guess, Sofi stayed the night again last night?" She asked shaking her head. I laughed, and started to get an extra plate from the cabinet.

"Looks like it." I shut the silverware drawer and went to set them up at the table, just as Bobby and Jack came into the kitchen. Jack looked at me in the strange way he did often, it sent chills down my spine, but I was never sure why.

Even though I considered Evelyn my mother, and considered Bobby, Angel, and Jeremiah my brothers, I never thought of Jack as a brother, or felt like he was. Evelyn hadn't adopted me, because I was never in the system, but my real father didn't give a shit, so I just moved in. I had become best friends with Jack when we were about 11, and I hung out at his house alot already. The other three had grown to think of me as their little sister, and treated me as such. I didn't admit it to them, but alot of the reason I spent so much time with them, was that it was the only place I ever felt safe, and it got me out of the house alot more.

_ My mother had left me and my dad for another man, and my dad took it pretty hard. He started with getting drunk and coming home late, yelling at me. He blamed me for her leaving, even though I was only 7 when she left._

_ Then he started bringing random women home with him at times. I would lay in bed at night, singing as loud as I could, trying to block out the (in my mind) sickening sounds coming from his room._

_ Along the way some of those women got him to do drugs with them. He did it all. Cocaine, weed, extacy, you name it he did it. Sometimes late at night when I couldn't hear them anymore, I would walk downstairs to see about 5 people I didn't know passed out everywhere, and occasionally he would be passed out in a chair with a needle stuck in his arm. There would be trash all over the room, beer cans, empty food containers. On the table there was always something with a razor and lines of white dust (I didn't know what it was at the time) on it. A few times when things got really bad, and I felt my worst, I would be tempted to pick up the razor and make it all go away for a while. The only thing that stopped me, was the worry of what that powder was. I know, it doesn't make sense that I would think of doing that and at the same time worry about what was on the razor._

_ Then the real shit started. He started being angry all the time. He started blaming me more, and taking it out on me more. There were times all I was doing was watching T.V. when he would come home, and for some reason it made him mad. He would beat me. Hit me wherever he could, yelling at me like I was her. Then when he decided he was done he would drag me into my room by my hair, and throw me into my room, locking it behind him. That's when I began crying myself to sleep. I tried to be a normal kid, just small little things. Mostly by trying to make my room look normal, so that I could try to escape into my own little reality. I put up posters of my favorite bands, movies, and actors. It helped some, but not as much as my music did. With that I could sing as loud as I needed to let out my emotions instead of screaming. My music of choice is mostly rock, country, and some rap. I know they arn't exactly the same, but they all have things I like to sing too, and some that help cheer me up. Writing also helped some. I would either write stories of a life I wish I could have, or a story where the character did all of the things I want to do to release the pain._

_ But not everything can be ignored forever. On one particular night, he came home drunk and high, and must have been extrememly mad that he couldn't get anyone to come home with him and just wanted a quick fuck. Unfortunately for me, I was the only one home. He came storming up the stairs, and forced my door open, which I had locked knowing he was mad. I pushed myself as far back as I could into the corner as I sat on my bed, shaking uncontrollably. I begged him to leave me alone, but that just made him even more mad. He grabbed my wrist, yanking me off the bed. I soon realised what he was planning to do, and began to fight back, screaming. He slapped me hard, and I stopped, reducing myself to crying. That was the first and last time he ever did that to me. When he was done and had gone to bed, I took a shower scrubbing myself nearly raw. I found clean razors in the cabinet, and finally did what I had been wanting to do for so long. All it did was numb everything else. I just wiped off the blood, hid the razor in my room, and fell asleep without chaging out of my towel. That was also the first night in 4 years, that I didn't cry myself to sleep._

_ The next day, I met Jack. We were partnered up for a project. I was distant at first, but there seemed to be some kind of connection between us, and we soon became best friends. I now realise the connection must have been due to a similar past. We hung out at his house a lot after that day. I felt safe, and loved. At first just by Evelyn, but before I knew it Jack's brothers started treating me like family too. I loved it, and I began to feel better about myself, and happier. Until I would go back home. Most nights he was already upstairs with some whore, or passed out. I thanked God, that he was occupied elsewhere eachtime. But one night when I was 16 he woke up after I came home. He hadn't yet realised I was there, but I was afraid of what would happen when he did. I quietly grabbed the phone, went back into my room locking it, and called Jack. I asked if I could stay overnight, and if they could come get me. He said of course, that they would be right over. I didn't tell him what was wrong, and he didn't ask, but he sounded like he must have heard it in my voice._

_ My dad must have heard me on the phone, because just before I got off the phone he burst through my door. I gasped and dropped the phone. I ran to one of the corners in my room. He picked up the phone, hearing Jack yelling my name, and looked angrily at me. He threw the phone at the wall, and it broke into a dozen pieces._

_"Who the hell was that? Your little boyfriend?" He yelled, storming over to me. He lifted me up by my hair, and threw me into the middle of the my room._

_"No, he's not my boyfriend!" I yelled back, shaking my head. Actually my whole body was shaking._

_"YOUR A LIAR! YOUR A FUCKING WHORE, JUST LIKE YOUR MOTHER!" He shoved me back to the floor, and straddled my hips. "And I'm going to make sure that everybody knows it."_

_ He lifted my shirt, and reached into his pocket for something. I saw that something flash in the moonlight shining in from my window, and started to scream. He grabbed my hair and slammed my head into the floor nearly knocking me out. A blinding pain shot through my head. I stopped screaming, but kept trying to push his hands away. He growled angrily, and pinned them down with his knees. I was too dizzy, and in too much pain to fight back very hard._

_ Suddenly a searing pain hit my stomach, and my eyes shot open. My eyes widened when I realised he was cutting into it. I was still weak and could only manage a weak moan and cry at the moment. I tried to keep from passing out as he continued to viciously carve letters into my stomach. When he was finished he sat up straight to look at the work he had just done. He smiled sickeningly._

_"Now everyone will know that your a whore, just like her."_

_ I tried to sit up to see exactly what he had done, but it hurt too bad, and I fell back causing myself to almost black out again when my head hit the floor. I hoped he was done, but I was wrong. He realised I was too weak to fight back, and decided to take advantage of it. He started to unbutton my jeans. I cried out, louder this time. I thought I heard someone call my name, but ignored it, deciding to focus on making him stop._

_"Please... no more! It hurts! Please stop, don't do this to me!" I moaned loudly. He just laughed and began to pull my jeans down._

_Just as he had gotten them over my hips, someone kicked the door down._

_"GET THE HELL OFF OF HER!" He was yanked off of me, and thrown against the wall. "WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU WERE DOING YOU SICK FUCK!"_

_I reached down to pull my pants up, as I tried to sit up. I groaned. A pair of hands pushed me back down gently._

_"Don't move, your bleeding badly, you need to relax as much as you can." I looked up to see a pair of beautiful blue eyes._

_"Jack?"_

_"Yeah, it's me, just relax. Bobby and Angel are here too. Everything is okay now." He said, softly._

_"YOU'RE LUCKY WE DON'T JUST KILL YOU NOW!"_

_"No, Bobby don't!" I yelled. He and Angel continued to kick and punch my so called father. As they did this, Jack tenderly lifted my shirt to see where I was bleeding._

_"Oh shit!" Bobby and Angel heard this, having stopped after they knocked him unconcious. They looked over and saw Jack's eyes were wide._

_"What's wrong?" Angel asked._

_"Look at her fucking stomach!" Jack practically yelled. One of them ran over and turned on the light, so that they could see better._

_"That sick son of a bitch!" Bobby said. "Jackie, put her in the care. We're taking her home."_

_ Jack carefully picked me up, then noticed more blood on the floor. He got Angel's attention, so that he could try to figure out where it was coming from. He noticed the gash on the back of my head, from where it had been slammed against the ground._

_"Damn, Bobby her head is bleeding too." Bobby looked at it, and told his brothers to hurry up._

_During the short car ride, I blacked out. Noticing this Jack quickly shook me awake._

_"Don't let her fall asleep Jack!" Bobby said as he raced back to his house._

_"Oh my god, what happened?" Evelyn asked, as they rushed me into the house._

_"He cut her up!" Jack said. He ran up the stairs to the bathroom._

_ Evelyn ran in behind him, and turned on the water in the tub. She yelled for Angel to get as many towels as he could. Jack showed her my head, and she told Bobby to get her sewing kit._

_"What's going on in here?" Jeremiah asked coming down the hall. "Oh shit! What the hell happened to her?"_

_"Here, Jack, put her under the water," He softly placed me in the tub. I moaned as the water hit me. "Where is she cut?"_

_"He carved up her stomach!" Evelyn lifted up my shirt and she and Jeremiah gasped._

_"Jack, get me the antiseptic over there!" She told him as she pulled my shirt off. Angel and Bobby had come back with the stuff she had asked for. She grabbed one of the towels from Angel, and ran it under the water. She gently wiped at all the dry blood so that she could see the wound better. The room fell into angry silence when the word "WHORE" was revealed to them._

_"Who did this to you?" Evelyn asked me quietly._

_"My... dad." I managed to get out in a strangled voice. She shook her head in disbelief._

_"Here Jack, wash the blood off of the back of her head, then put some of that antiseptic on it." She handed him a wet cloth. While he did that, she took the bottle of antiseptic and slowly poured it over my stomach. I screamed, and tried to stand up to get away from it. All of the guys held me down, getting everybody wet, so that she could finish cleaning me up._

_ Jack held my head and kept brushing his fingers through my hair. "Sshh, I know, it's okay." He kept whispering, trying to calm me down. The cuts were so deep, and it was so painful, that I couldn't hold onto my conciousness any longer, and everything went black. The next morning (well around noon) I woke up with a bandage wrapped around my head and an even bigger one wrapped around my middle. _

I have lived with them ever since. I asked Evelyn not to report it. I didn't want to go through any trials, and I didn't want to see him again. She agreed rather reluctantly, and blackmailed my father into letting me live with her. He didn't care anymore anyway, so it wasn't too hard.

I must have had a smile on my face, because Jack looked at me funny.

"What?" He asked thinking I was losing it.

"Nothing, just happy to be here." I smiled. He reached over and hugged me.

"Me too." He whispered sending those strange chills down my spine again. We all looked at the doorway to the kitchen when he heard footsteps to see Angel and Sofi, looking tired and disshevled. Everybody just started laughing.

"Man, shut up! Not you ma." Angel said as they both sat at the table, Sofi's face a little red.

God, I loved this house, and this family!


	2. Chapter 2

**I of course, like everyone else, don't own Four Brothers. I do love the movie, and wish a couple of the characters belonged to me lol. But I'm just not that lucky. So I hope you enjoy this chapter. Keep in mind people that I am still working on my writing, so it may not be as good as I would like it to be. Also it's kind of discouraging to have people read and not review.**

**Thanks to three that have put me on their alert list, and two that have reviewed so far! Love you guys! Hope you keep reading.**

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**Not A Brother Ch. 2**

After breakfast I went upstairs to finish getting ready. I didn't take too long, all I had left was brushing my teeth, and grabbing my stuff. Unfortunately though I had to wait an extra 15 minutes for Jack to make his hair look like he just got out of bed. I walked out of my bedroom, and stopped in front of the bathroom, leaning against the door frame. I just sighed and watched him mess with his hair, trying to get it just right. He looked over at me.

"What?"

"Nothing, I was just wondering what I'm going to read in detention today," I said.

"I didn't know you got detention," He turned back to the mirror.

"Well, that's because I don't... yet. But teachers don't exactly accept a member of your household making you late because he was too busy with his hair, as a very good excuse for being late."

"Hahaha, you're really funny," He mocked. "I'm almost done anyway, so just go get your stuff, and wait downstairs."

Rolling my eyes, I went into the living room to wait. I plopped down on the couch, completely bored and impatient. Patience wasn't my best virtue. Bobby of course had somehow managed to find a hockey game on T.V.

"That fairy still getting ready?" He asked not looking at me. I glared at him. I hated when he called Jack that, but I wasn't really sure why it bothered me so much.

"Yeah, and I'm gonna be late for class. Unless I just leave without him."

"Don't even think about it. You're not walking all the way to school by yourself." Bobby snapped.

"I'm sure I would be completely fine. You worry too damn much about me." I said, slumping farther into the couch.

"Your my little sister, there's no such thing as worrying_ too _much." He turned his attention back to the game.

"He's right. No way in hell are any of us gonna let you go all that way by yourself." Jack agreed as he came down the stairs. I rolled my eyes, yet again. I mean what the hell could someone do to me, that hasn't already been done... besides kill me.

"Whatever. Can we go now?" I put my jacket on, grabbed my bag and headed for the door.

"Have fun learning shit," Bobby yelled after us.

Jack and I just walked in silence for a while. He glanced over at me every once in a while. There was a tension between the two of us, I don't know where it came from. This time however, when he glanced over again, I looked at him. I could see in his eyes that he was thinking about something. Like he was wanting to ask me something.

"What?" I finally asked, breaking the silence that had lasted the last two blocks.

"Nothing, I was just wondering what you had been thinking about this morning. I mean at first you seemed really upset, then happy." He looked at me curisouly.

"Oh, that. Nothing really." I said, now suddenly a little uncomfortable under his gaze. "I was just thinking about when everything with my father went wrong. About the things that he used to do, and the things I felt about my life at the time."

I paused for a moment, feeling my stomach knot up. I avoided looking up at him, almost afraid to see the sympathy in his eyes. I swallowed the lump in my throat, and continued my explanation.

"Then I thought about the day I met you, and how much time I spent with you and the others. The things he did that night, and how scared I was." I smiled again. "And I remembered you and the guys saving me, and how grateful I am to all of you. You saved my life."

Jack just stopped and stared at me. I turned to look at the unreadable expression on his face. I don't think he was expecting me to say something like that. I grinned to myself. I turned, and slowly started walking again. The rest of the walk to school was in silence. He didn't seem to be able to find the right words to respond to hearing that he had saved my life.

"Your late, Miss Malone."

_Congratulations on stating the obvious._

"I know, sorry Mr. Turner. My br... friend took forever to get ready this morning." I was never able to bring myself to call Jack my brother. It felt too wierd.

"That is no excuse, you could have left without them." Mr. Turner said, sounding irritated.

"My brother would have kicked my ass, if I had tried to walk to school by myself." He grimaced. I could tell he was not very happy with my (in his eyes) lame excuse.

"Well then you can thank them for the detention you will be enjoying after school today." I groaned as he handed me the little pink slip of paper. _I'm gonna kill Jack! _

After school I was standing outside talking with my friends for a while before I went to detention. That and I hadn't gotten the chance to tell Jack that he would get to come back and get me.

"Isn't that one of your brothers?" Alyssa asked. I looked in the direction of her outstreched hand. Bobby was walking towards us from the parking lot.

"Yeah." I said confused at why he was there. When he saw me he grinned really big and started running towards me. _Oh crap! I know that grin._

"No, Bobby, no!" I yelled. I turned and started running. He just chased after me as fast as he could. I saw Jack and started running to him, still yelling at Bobby to stop. "AAHH" I screamed as someone ran at me from out of nowhere. They grabbed me and threw me over their shoulder. Jack heard me scream and looked over. He laughed when he saw me thrown over Angel's shoulder.

"Dammit! Angel put me down! I have detention." They both laughed. My friends looked over at me frightened. Only Alyssa knew who they were, and that this was typical of them. Just not at school.

"Have fun Kayla!" She yelled after us.

"Haha, fucking funny!" I yelled back. "Seriously Angel, where the hell are we going?"

"We're all gonna go have some crazy fun," He said. I looked up at Bobby. "Come on Cracker Jack, you're coming too."

I just rested my head in my hand defeated. They all laughed at me.

"You fell for it again didn't you?" I heard Jeremiah ask. He had been waiting by the car while the others came to get us.

"Shut up, they caught me off guard."

"Of course," He chuckled. Angel finally set me down.

"Ow, damn. What was that for?" He asked, after I socked him in the arm.

"For sneaking up on me like that." I tried to smack Bobby in the arm too, but he dodged my fist, laughing.

"Aw, come on little sis, you know it's fun."

"Yeah, for you two." I said getting in the backseat.

"Nah, It's pretty fun for me and Jeremiah to watch too." Jack said smiling. I glared at him jokingly.

"Okay, so is somebody gonna tell me why I will be getting double detention now?"

"I'm shipping out in the morning, and wanted one more crazy ass night with my brothers and sister before I leave," I stared at the back of Angel's head.

"I'm sorry you're what?" Jack asked surprised.

"I'm going into the Navy."

"You mean you're leaving us?" I was upset, and mad all at the same time.

"It's not like that. I've wanted to joing the Navy for a long time." He said. He turned, and saw the look of hurt and anger on my face. "Come on, Kay. I'm sorry okay? Let's just try to have fun tonight?"

"Fine, I guess." I didn't want him to leave. I didn't want any of them to leave. They were my family now. They were everything to me.

I was already having a crappy day. That crappy day just got worse. First I'm late for school, and get a detention. Then I find out that my "devoted" boyfriend, cheated on me at some party, and now I find out that one of my brothers is leaving. Could it get any worse?

"Well if you keep hanging up on me, then I'm just going to come over."

"That wouldn't be the smartest thing to do Kevin. I already told my brothers what a piece of shit you are, and if you show up here they're going to beat the crap out of you." I don't know why I'm even warning him.

"I think I'll take my chances." He said, as if he didn't believe me.

"Be my guest." I threw the phone onto the bed. Apparently my day could get even worse. I layed on my bed and stared at the ceiling. It wasn't like I loved Kevin. I mean I cared about him alot, but not in love with him. It still hurt, what he did though. I thought I had found a decent guy, who wouldn't hurt me. But apparently I was wrong. The guys had been furious when I told them what he had done. They of course being the Mercer boys said they would beat him for me, but I just told them he wasn't worth it. Which was true, he wasn't. He's just another lying, cheating boyfriend, like about a million others out there.

I heard a car pull up in front of the house, and heard the car door close. I shook my head. _Stupid, stupid mistake number two. _I thought as the moron named Keving rang the doorbell. I got up and looked out the window. I could hear the door open.

"What the hell do you want?" Jack's voice floated up the stairs.

"I need to talk to Kayla." Kevin said, sounding mad. He never liked Jack.

"Well, that's too fucking bad."

"You're never talking to her again."

"Look I just need to talk to her. KAYLA!" He called to me. I turned and started out the bedroom door. I heard him yell out in pain.

"What the hell did I just say?!" By the time I got down the stairs Bobby, Jack, and Angel had him on the sidewalk and were all punching and kicking him. I ran the rest of th way to the door.

"Hey, stop! I'll talk to him, it's fine." They stopped and looked up at me. They weren't very happy with my decision. I walked out into the yard, and they walked back up to the porch. They stayed to make sure that he didn't touch me. I stood and watched as he stood up. I didn't offer to help him.

"Can I talk to you alone?" He asked, nervously looking behind me.

"No. Whatever you want to say you can say in front of them." I answered stubbornly. "So what? What's your bullshit excuse?"

"It was an accident. I was at the party, I was drunk-"

"So what? So you were drunk and... tripped and fell into some naked girl that just happened to be laying there with her legs wide opne? Or wait, no I know. You passed out drunk, and woke up with some girl riding you and couldn't push her off?" He blanched and looked down ashamed. He knew that I knew there was no excuse he could give that I would accept. I couldn't see them, but I knew the guys were smirking.

"That's what I thought," I said shaking my head. I turned to walk back into the house. He grabbed my shoulder forcing me to turn around. The guys started towards us, but I beat them to it. He hunched over in pain when I knee'd him in the groin, as hard as I could. I shoved him roughly to the ground, and looked at him disgusted. "Don't ever touch me after you touched some skank. And you ever touch me again, I'll make sure you don't ever have to worry about "accidentally" screwing some random girl. Ever."

He groaned loudly. I turned on my heel and walked back into the house. The guys walked in behind me laughing their heads off.

"Damn little sister, I guess you can handle yourself!" Bobby said sitting down on the couch next to me. He put his arm around me looking proud.

"Yeah, well I've lived with you guys long enough. Everyone knows you're the best at teaching the worst things." I chuckled.

"Well if any of us ever had any doubt about you being a Mercer before, we sure as hell don't anymore!" Angel said. I smiled really big.

"Good, and I couldn't be more proud of it," I leaned on Bobby's shoulder. "I'm going upstairs, I have homework to finish. I don't know why I'm doing it now, since I'll have double detention now."

"You're welcome" Angel grinned.

"Yeah, thanks. Really appreciate that." Just as I reached my door, Jack grabbed my arm and turned me to him.

"I'm sorry he hurt you. I'm sorry you had to be hurt again." He said honestly. I smiled warmly at him.

"Thanks Jack, but don't worry about it. I know you guys won't, and that's all that matters."

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**Thanks for reading. Unfortunately, I don't know how often i'll be able to be able to update in the future, because I don't know how often i'll be able to have access to the internet. I'll do my best though. Also, I know this chapter could have been better, but again i'm still working on my writing. Please bare with me, and I hope you keep reading. **


	3. Chapter 3

**Thanks to everyone who read the last two chapters! I should let you all know, that I won't always be updating this often. I have quite a few other things to write, and I sometimes get writer's block fairly easily. Please let me know if you have any comments, or ideas. I love both. I hope you like this chapter!**

**And if you want a disclaimer, there's one in chapter 2.**

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****Not A Brother Ch. 3**

Later that night, we were all sitting at the table having dinner and just enjoying eachothers company, when the phone rang. Evelyn started to stand up, but I stopped her.

"No, mom, it's ok. I'll get it," I said as I pushed my chair back, and stood up. "Hello?"

"Hello, may I speak with Ms. Evelyn Mercer, please?" came the voice on the other end of the reciever.

"May I ask who's calling?"

"Yes, this is Mrs. Shepard, your prinicpal Miss Malone. I'm sure you know what I'm calling about." I raised my eyebrows in confusion.

"The detention I was supposed to have today?" I asked.

"Not entirely, but that will be half of what I need to discuss with Ms. Mercer. The other half is about the assault of one Mr. Kevin Stevens," My face paled at these words, but was quickly heated with anger.

"You cannot be serious! He reported that I assaulted him?!" Everyone looked up at me shocked when they heard me yell.

"Yes, he did. Now will you please put her on the phone?" She sounded angry at me. If she only knew what kind of guy he was, she would probably give me the smallest punishment possible.

I sighed furiously, and set the phone down. Everyone could tell I wasn't too happy when I walked back into the dining room.

"Mom, it's for you," she looked confused, but stood to answer it.

I returned to my seat, my appetite pretty much gone now. They just kept staring at me, waiting for me to tell them why I had yelled into the phone.

"That piece of shit called the principal to report me for hitting him today," I said looking down at my plate. I pushed it away, not wanting to finish what was on it. Normally I wouldn't care that much, but I knew that they would probably consider expelling me. I wanted to finish school, I wanted to go to college. I wanted to become a better person than my parents were._ Well at least he didn't call the police._

"What! We beat the fucker too, why didn't he report me?" Jack asked surprised.

"You're not the one he's trying to get back at," None of them said anything more, knowing I was worried about expulsion. "I'm not hungry anymore, I'm going upstairs."

I knew Evelyn would be on the phone for a while. I was sure Kevin had a whole big story to tell, that did nothing but make him seem completely innocent, and me look like the bad guy. It wouldn't surprise me. I should have seen him for what he was in the beginning. Maybe I just didn't want to. Maybe I lowered my standards too much. Maybe I didn't recognize some of the signs as well as I thought. Maybe he was just that good at hiding who he was. No matter now though.

Of course what he did didn't hurt as much as what my father did, but it hurt bad enough. I mean I never loved him, and never pretended to. It was just something I was really afraid of, and hoped would never happen to me. I've never admitted to anyone I was afraid of something like that, and never showed it. Maybe I should have, but I never felt the need to and I don't think it would have really mattered.

I went over to the floor length mirror that stood in my room. I turned my head, my body, looking at myself from every angle that I could. Maybe it was something about my looks._ Oh great, now my old insecurities are coming back. Perfect! _I put my head in my hands trying to push those thoughts away.

"You're not going to find the reason in that mirror, Kyra," I jumped, startled by the voice that broke my thoughts. Looking into the mirror I saw Jack standing against the doorframe of my bedroom behind me. "There's nothing about your looks that would give him reason to do what he did."

I smiled weakly. "How did you know that's what I was thinking?"

"Because I know you, and I remember the way you thought when you first got here. Sometimes when I passed your room you would be looking in the mirror just like that. Usually, later that same night I would hear you crying. He did it because he's a jerk, and doesn't know how lucky he is. Not because of how you look, or anything about you."

I blushed at hearing he had seen and heard me, and at the things he was saying. "But why can't I find someone who won't treat me like crap? That's all I ever feel, because that's how everybody has always treated me. How am I supposed to feel different, when people treat me like that? You, Evelyn, and the guys are the only ones who have treated me right."

"We treat you the way you deserve to be treated. I wish you could see what we see when we look at you." I could see it in his eyes, and hear it in his voice that he was hurt. Hurt by what I was saying, and hurt because I was hurt.

"I wish I could too, Jack," Tears began to slowly roll down my face. I tried to stop them, but a few escaped anyway. I turned my head so he couldn't see them.

"Don't cry over that asshole, he's not worth it. He doesn't deserve to have you cry over him," He put his hand on the side of my face turning it, so that he could see to wipe the tears away.

"I'm not crying over him. I'm crying, because I don't know when it will stop, or if it ever will," I still kept my eyes on the floor, afraid that if I looked at him I wouldn't be able to stop myself from breaking down. Afraid to see my emotions reflected in his eyes.

"I wish I could stop it for you," I looked up, not knowing exactly what to make of what he had just said. His eyes were confusing. There was such a mix of emotions now, that I couldn't tell one from the other. And until now I hadn't noticed how close he had gotten.

"I wish you could too," I told him. I wasn't exactly sure where that had come from, or what I meant exactly. He seemed just as confused as I was. Neither one of us really knew what we meant... what we felt.

I did know, that I loved the feeling of his hand on my face. The feeling of his skin touching mine. We were completely unaware that we were taking steps, inching closer to eachother. My heart began to beat faster, and my breath felt caught in my throat.

I couldn't have taken my eyes away from his if I wanted to right now, and to be honest I didn't want to. I don't think I had noticed until now, just how beautiful they were. It seemed like I could see into his mind, perhaps even his soul. His feelings, and thoughts must be just as tangled and jumbled together as they appear to be through his eyes.

I could feel his warm breath on my face now, his lips less than an inch from mine. Our eyes were still locked together. My heart now pounded against my chest. I was sure he could hear it. His lips gently tickled mine as they barely touched.

"Kyra! Can you come downstairs, please," Jack and I jumped away from eachother at the sound of Evelyn's voice. After what felt like ages of not being able to look away from eachother, now we looked at everything_ except _eachother. He had turned away from me slightly, and seemed kind of irritated.

"C-coming," I called. I looked at him out of the corner of my eye, and seeing that he was still facing away from me, turned to leave the room.

I wasn't worried about what Evelyn was going to say. I knew she would listen to my side of the story, and not judge me before she knew my side. I could hear Bobby and Angel talking to her. It sounded like they were trying to back me up.

"I don't need to hear it from you two, I want to hear the story from her own mouth," I laughed to myself.

"You wanted to see me?" The three of them looked up at me. I got a couple of quizzical looks from the guys. I was suddenly aware of the warmth in my face, which was now gradually getting warmer. I tried to push all thoughts of what happened upstairs, in hopes of making the blush leave my face.

"Yes, and I'm assuming you know what the principal was calling to talk to me about," I nodded. "Angel, Bobby, go upstairs."

They grudgingly stood up, and filed up the stairs. I looked back at Evelyn. She patted her hand on the cusion next to the one she sat on. I slowly walked over, and sat down.

"The boys tell me that you found out that this young man cheated on you, and came over to try to get you back," she paused, and I nodded. "Then he yelled for you when they wouldn't call you downstairs, so they beat him around a little bit?" Another pause, and I nodded again.

"Then they say you wouldn't let him give you his crappy excuses, and he tried to stop you when you went to go back into the house. That's when you hit him?"

"Yes. I was disgusted by him! He had no right to touch me, and I wanted to make sure he knew never to touch me again." I told her. I wasn't about to make my intentions look like anything other than what they were.

"Alright, well I understand your reason for hitting him. In all honesty, I don't blame you," she laughed. I laughed back, knowing she wouldn't be mad at me. She put her arm around my shoulder, hugging me. I layed my head on her shoulder. Moments like this were the moments I loved best with Evelyn. It was moments like these, that she really felt like my mother.

"You arn't going to be expelled," I looked up her happily, sighing with relief. "But... they are suspending you for one week, and giving you two weeks detention."

"I can deal with that," I smiled. Detention didn't really bother me.

"Good! Why don't you go work on your homework or read. When I'm done cleaning things up, we'll all go take Angel to the airport."

"Are you sure you don't want me to help?" I asked. I wasn't too anxious to go back upstairs just yet.

"I'm sure," she stood and walked into the kitchen. "I'm sure Jackie's gone back into his room by now anyway,"

I looked up shocked and a little embarassed._ How did she know?! _

"I know everything," She said over the running water in the sink. I laughed and shook my head.

Sure enough when I got back to my room it was empty, and Jack's door was closed. I closed mine, and walked over to my bed. I layed back, covering my face with my hands.

_Things are probably going to be so awkward now!_

* * *

**Thank you so much to those who have added my story to their alert list, and favorites. I really appreciate it! It has definately helped me on my "bad" days. By that I mean, I'm going through something immensely hard right now, and I have good days, slightly good days, and bad days. So it's really meant alot to me to know, that people like my story.**

**To my reviewers:**

tigerwhisper: Here is the second update, and thank you for reading and reviewing!

lightning8star: I'm glad you liked it! I love comments that point things out, it's helpful. I hope you liked this chapter too.

ollie-oxycotyn: Lol, yes I am jealous. But not too much, since I own it now lol. And I really liked your newest chapter, and can't wait for more! I'm like obsessed with your story now lol, mostly cuz I'm in love with that movie now and don't get to read very much about him. And of course, cuz it's awesome: P


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